


Ready for the Grand Opening

by Leahelisabeth (fortheloveofcamelot)



Series: Twinyards Appreciation Week [14]
Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Gen, Minyard-Josten Rivalry, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-04
Updated: 2019-11-04
Packaged: 2021-01-23 03:31:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21313468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fortheloveofcamelot/pseuds/Leahelisabeth
Summary: “So do we have a deal?” Aaron asked, sticking his hand out for Andrew to shake.  Andrew looked at it in distaste before clasping it briefly.  He wiped his hand on his pants and glared at his brother.“We have a deal,” Andrew sighed.“Don’t sound so excited about it,” Aaron grumbled.  “You’re getting your way.  I still think we should have started a gym.”“For the last time, Aaron, this space was already a coffee shop, with a state of the art kitchen, might I add.  There is no way I’m ripping that out and replacing it with flexing muscles and the stink of sweat just because Kevin thinks he needs an even more exclusive place to work out,” Andrew argued.  “And I’ve already signed the papers.  It will be a coffee shop or I’m holding you in breach of contract.”For day 2 of Twinyards Appreciation Week: Aaron and Andrew
Relationships: Aaron Minyard & Andrew Minyard
Series: Twinyards Appreciation Week [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/858608
Comments: 9
Kudos: 122
Collections: Twinyards Appreciation Week 2019





	Ready for the Grand Opening

**Author's Note:**

> This is a prequel to the Shop Across the Street. I'm hoping to continue it in December after NaNoWriMo.

“So do we have a deal?” Aaron asked, sticking his hand out for Andrew to shake. Andrew looked at it in distaste before clasping it briefly. He wiped his hand on his pants and glared at his brother.

“We have a deal,” Andrew sighed.

“Don’t sound so excited about it,” Aaron grumbled. “You’re getting your way. I still think we should have started a gym.”

“For the last time, Aaron, this space was already a coffee shop, with a state of the art kitchen, might I add. There is no way I’m ripping that out and replacing it with flexing muscles and the stink of sweat just because Kevin thinks he needs an even more exclusive place to work out,” Andrew argued. “And I’ve already signed the papers. It will be a coffee shop or I’m holding you in breach of contract.”

“I know. It’s done. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have contractors to speak to. The kitchen in that place may be amazing but the rest of it looks like the witch from Hansel and Gretel exploded all over it,” Aaron glared at his brother. He dropped the contract into his briefcase and stood. “I trust I can handle you with the smaller details, the menu, display cases, talking to suppliers?”

“Who was it that worked as Bee’s apprentice for all these years? It sure as fuck wasn’t you,” Andrew sneered. “You do your thing and I’ll do mine.”

Aaron rolled his eyes but left, slamming Andrew’s apartment door behind him.

Andrew took a full breath once he was alone and slumped onto his couch in relief. He reached forward and grabbed one of the many pieces of paper off the coffee table. He spread it out and smiled faintly. “Sweet Eden” it said in a beautiful script. It was finally happening.

* * *

Opening day was drawing closer and Andrew was worried they wouldn’t be finished everything in time. Aaron’s girlfriend, Katelyn, had admittedly done a great job designing the open area of the coffee shop itself. It was full of cosy little nooks and overstuffed chairs, and the art on the walls was all tasteful and coordinated, but Andrew was still having a hard time with the menu.

“Here, try this one,” Andrew said, dropping a sad, lopsided little muffin on the counter.

Aaron looked at it with distaste. “Why are you still trying to perfect the bran muffin? You know your specialty is sugar and more sugar. We should be playing to your strengths, not tanking because you’ve been defeated by a muffin.” He picked up the muffin in one hand and gave it an experimental squeeze. His face paled and he set it down without trying a bite.

“Fuck you, you try coming up with an entire coffee shop menu by yourself,” Andrew snarled before ripping his apron off and hurling it into Andrew’s face. He stalked out the front door and sat down on the curb, pulling out a cigarette and starting to smoke furiously.

The building right across the street had been undergoing renovations ever since Andrew and Aaron had bought the coffee shop and Andrew noted with interest that workers were putting up the sign, “The Foxhole,” and a redhead was putting up a “Grand Opening” banner in the window. He read the date in shock. The grand opening was in one week exactly and on the precise day that his own coffee shop was going to open.

Andrew stood and snuffed out his cigarette. He strolled across the street to peer in the windows and to figure out what kind of place this was going to be. His heart sank when he saw the giant coffee machine being installed behind the front counter. While he was contemplating the best course of action (either blowing up this rival coffee shop or moving to Italy and changing his name) the same redhead from before walked out the door.

“Can I help you?” he asked, voice noticeably frosty.

Andrew turned, ready to respond in kind, when he almost swallowed his tongue. This man was exquisite, bright red hair that shone in the sunlight, ice blue eyes that peered into his fucking soul and cheekbones that could cut glass. Andrew hated him on sight. “I’m just thinking about how short-lived your little coffee shop endeavor is going to be.”

“Excuse me?” The redhead lifted one unmanicured but well-shaped eyebrow in a look of pure disdain.

“It’s only that you are opening your coffee shop right across the street from another, much better one and there is no way you’ll be able to compete,” Andrew sneered.

“Oh, I know, I’m not worried.” The other man dismissed him with a wave of the hand. “You see, I know how to read the area. My drink and food menu is perfectly tailored to the health-conscious clientele that populate this area. I’ve been doing my research. I know exactly what sort of sugar-drenched crap you’ll be serving. It won’t be long before I’ll be the only coffee shop on this street.”

“Not if there are people with taste in this city. I refuse to serve anything that doesn’t taste good. I see you don’t have the same consideration for your customers,” Andrew growled.

“My name is Neil, by the way. You should always know the name of the man who destroys you,” Neil laughed lightly.

“Well in that case, I’m…” 

“Oh, I don’t need to know,” Neil interrupted. “Does an eagle need to know the name of the fish it consumes?”

Andrew saw nothing but red but he managed to keep himself from shoving Neil through his own plate glass window. He spun on his heel and marched back into his coffee shop.

“Did that clear your head?” Aaron asked, apparently not intimidated by the rage Andrew could barely conceal.

Andrew said nothing, just pushed past Aaron and started baking. At first, Aaron tried to offer suggestions or ask Andrew about his process but he very quickly came to realize it would do no good.

Finally, Andrew set a single cupcake on the counter. It was dark chocolate with a towering mound of coffee buttercream. He had tempered some chocolate and put it to set in knife shaped molds and on was now stabbed into the buttercream. Andrew took the knife and pressed down into the cupcake, revealing a center of gooey cherry filling that ran out into the plate.

“Here is the cupcake we will be featuring on opening night,” Andrew growled through gritted teeth. “I like to call it the ‘Die, Neil, Die!’”


End file.
